Relating to brain computer interfaces

• US 8,862,219 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Garcia Molina, Gary Nelson, Bruekers, Alphons Antonius Maria Lambertus, Damstra, Marijn Christian, Weda, Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Natnithithadha, Navin
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERHANU, ETSUB D
• Application Number:
  US12/680,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20110238685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,206 Days
• Field of Search: 600/544, 600/545, 707/69, 707/769, 705/3
• US Class Current: 600/544
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/372 Analysis of electroencephalograms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/00 ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance

Abstract

A method of creating a user profile for use in a brain computer interface includes performing a training exercise, measuring a user'"'"'s brain signals during the training exercise, mapping specific signals of the user'"'"'s brain signals to predefined mental task descriptions, and creating a user profile including the user'"'"'s brain signals mapped to the mental task descriptions. The user profile so created can be used in a method of creating a brain computer interface for a user for an application. This method includes accessing a user profile including the user'"'"'s brain signals mapped to mental task descriptions, accessing an application profile including a plurality of properties of the application, matching one or more mental task descriptions from the user profile to a respective property from the application profile, and creating a brain computer interface accordingly.

Claims

1. A method of creating a user profile for a brain computer interface, the method comprising the acts of:

performing a training exercise;

measuring a user'"'"'s brain signals during the training exercise;

mapping by a processor specific signals of the user'"'"'s brain signals to predefined mental task descriptions;

creating by the processor the user profile comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals mapped to the predefined mental task descriptions;

measuring a user'"'"'s fatigue during the training exercise; and

recording information relating to the measured fatigue in the user profile,

wherein the user'"'"'s fatigue is based on a number of times that the user can perform a specific mental task within a predefined accuracy resulting in a measured specific brain signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of terminating the training exercise when the measured fatigue exceeds a predetermined threshold.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

receiving manual input defining restrictions in relation to the predefined mental task descriptions; and

recording the manual input in the user profile.

4. A system for creating a user profile for use in a brain computer interface comprising:

a training unit configured to perform a training exercise;

a head unit configured to measure a user'"'"'s brain signals during the training exercise; and

a processor configured to map specific signals of the user'"'"'s brain signals to predefined mental task descriptions, to create the user profile comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals mapped to the predefined mental task descriptions, to measure a user'"'"'s fatigue during the training exercise, and to record information relating to the measured fatigue in the user profile wherein the user'"'"'s fatigue is based on a number of times that the user can perform a specific mental task within a predefined accuracy resulting in a measured specific brain signal.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to terminate the training exercise when the measured fatigue exceeds a predetermined threshold.

6. The system according to claim 4, further comprising a user interface configured to receive manual input defining restrictions in relation to the predefined mental task descriptions, wherein the processor is further configured to record the manual input in the user profile.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer instructions which, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to perform a method for creating a user profile for a brain computer interface, the method comprising the acts of:

performing a training exercise;

measuring a user'"'"'s brain signals during the training exercise;

mapping specific signals of the user'"'"'s brain signals to predefined mental task descriptions;

creating the user profile comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals mapped to the predefined mental task descriptions;

measuring a user'"'"'s fatigue during the training exercise; and

recording information relating to the measured fatigue in the user profile,

wherein the user'"'"'s fatigue is based on a number of times that the user can perform a specific mental task within a predefined accuracy resulting in a measured specific brain signal.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the computer instructions, when executed by the processor, further configure the processor to perform an act of terminating the training exercise when the measured fatigue exceeds a predetermined threshold.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the computer instructions, when executed by the processor, further configure the processor to perform the acts of:

receiving manual input defining restrictions in relation to the predefined mental task descriptions; and

recording the manual input in the user profile.

10. A method of creating a user profile for a brain computer interface, the method comprising the acts of:

performing a training exercise;

measuring a user'"'"'s brain signals during the training exercise;

mapping by a processor specific signals of the user'"'"'s brain signals to predefined mental task descriptions;

creating by the processor the user profile comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals mapped to the predefined mental task descriptions;

accessing the user profile comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals mapped to the predefined mental task descriptions;

accessing an application profile comprising a plurality of properties of the application;

matching one or more of the predefined mental task descriptions from the user profile to a respective property from the application profile; and

creating a brain computer interface based on results of the matching act.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the acts of:

accessing a fatigue component in the user profile; and

adjusting the brain computer interface based on the fatigue component.

12. The method according to claim 10, and further comprising the acts of:

accessing a manual input component in the user profile; and

adjusting the brain computer interface based on the manual input component.

13. A system for creating a user profile for use in a brain computer interface comprising:

a training unit configured to perform a training exercise;

a head unit configured to measure a user'"'"'s brain signals during the training exercise;

a processor configured to map specific signals of the user'"'"'s brain signals to predefined mental task descriptions, and to create the user profile comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals mapped to the predefined mental task descriptions; and

a database configured to store the user profile comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals mapped to the predefined mental task descriptions and an application profile comprising a plurality of properties of the application,

wherein the processor is further configured to access the user profile and the application profile, to match one or more of the predefined mental task descriptions from the user profile to a respective property from the application profile, and to create a brain computer interface based on results of the match.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to access a fatigue component in the user profile and to adjust the brain computer interface based on the fatigue component.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to access a manual input component in the user profile and to adjust the brain computer interface based on the manual input component.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer instructions which, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to perform a method for creating a user profile for a brain computer interface, the method comprising the acts of:

performing a training exercise;

measuring a user'"'"'s brain signals during the training exercise;

mapping specific signals of the user'"'"'s brain signals to predefined mental task descriptions;

creating the user profile comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals mapped to the predefined mental task descriptions;

accessing the user profile comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals mapped to the predefined mental task descriptions;

accessing an application profile comprising a plurality of properties of the application;

matching one or more of the predefined mental task descriptions from the user profile to a respective property from the application profile; and

creating a brain computer interface based on results of the matching act.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 16, wherein the computer instructions, when executed by the processor, further configure the processor to perform the acts of:

accessing a fatigue component in the user profile; and

adjusting the brain computer interface based on the fatigue component.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 16, wherein the computer instructions, when executed by the processor, further configure the processor to perform the acts of:

accessing a manual input component in the user profile; and

adjusting the brain computer interface based on the manual input component.